Oil, fuel, resources. These are what this war is about. The siezing of them, the carting of them, the converting of them to weapons of war. That is the great picture. But today, refuelling day, its closer, more personel than that

The tankers have hauled over the horizon, 12 of them, deep, heavily loaded. Welcomed friends every one. The most eagerly hunted ships in the war. But here they are, and they bring something Abe has not had for many months now, freedom of action.

The tankers break into three columns, and the fleets begin the task Zuiho will take her turn near midday.

She has done this now so many times in this war, yet, (and if you like, you can skip to the next post and the war) it needs repeating, just how unique this proceedure is, just what effort is involved.

It has begun early in the morning, well before dawn. The double bottoms team has visited the boiler rooms, the engine rooms, and unerringly aligned the valve chests, the transfer pumps. Fuel, tons and tons of it, has moved unhidden through out Zuiho's length, topping up the main tanks, emptying others. The trick to fuelling, you see, is to have as few tanks to fill as you can. Being a carrier, and a carrier operating aircraft today, one also has had to consider the most vital thing, 'Dont let a truking list develop!" Hidaka hates stokers as it is.don't let the arrogant little turd give us yet another reason to go off at us.

There are other requirements today. Aviation fuel is going to be recieved, 25000 litres of it today. More tanks to prepare.

At 10 am the bosuns parties are going to begin work, preparing the jackstays, the shock mats, the ropes, all the mysteries of the sailors craft. There is more pressure today, a new XO, and Aoki it appears, is very much a hands on man, from here until completion he will be there, (annoying the crap out of those more skilled and experienced than he -ie just about all involved).

The recieving station is hauled into position, greased, the ropes checked yet again. At 1100 hrs, communications, the flashing of lights between the flagship and her fleet turns towards Zuiho. Here, again, the wonder of an organisation working at its peak. A destroyer has fouled her lines ahead of Zuiho, thus Zuiho will go elswhere, this position, this time, this speed.....orders that flow swftly and must be obeyed.

Takeji will recieve the orders, and this busy, busy bridge will reverberate to a single curse. Zuiho has set herself to receive starboard side too.........but will now have to receive from port In 30 minutes time if she can.

The orders will be recieved with what might surprise many, perfect aquimanity (spelling! lol) . After all, this is the sailors world, Situation normal, all %^&*$# up! They will swing the gear alright, she will be ready. After all, this is Zuiho.

Minobe takes his post at the station, as does Lurch, the CPO Chippee. Lurch because he is the clearest, calmest speaker in the department -and communications are all in this little operation, the Chippee because he is responsible, and Minobe because he has to be there.

below, Charge takes his seat in the Port Engine room, Hirate the ports Astern Throttles, Okano the Starboard (for these two too are the best to have here) And last in this circus, Hidaka clears his flight deck, dispatching todays CAP........his deck effectively will soon be closed.

The no smoking light goes on, and the dance will soon begin.

It is now upon Takeji that the mantle rests. Zuiho steams a thousand yards astern of the tanker, waiting. But the bridge is not still, no warships bridge ever is. All about them the formation wobbles and varies, destroyers creaming to new positions, capital ships as well. The bearing, the distance to many of them needs watching closely.

The ropes, the hoses, go across smoothly. Aoki has sense of mind to keep clear........yes, his crew do this well, very well, The liquid gold begins to pass across, a ton a minute, the hose rock hard, bulging.

And , of course, all over Zuiho, and the tanker, the goffers hang about gun bays and walk bays, and just watch the mesmerising show.

There is no drama, I am afraid, no hose bursts, no parting lines, no men overboard, no crushing glancing blows of ships against ship (for all of these could happen) It just happens successfully.........as it should.

Hidaka will enter, read the latest signal, and grin "Abe is going to try again ney?" Takeji smiles too, waves at what surrounds them. "Never going to get as good as this,..........you wil get your chance to crack 100 kills , I would think"

Takeji is right.

Three task forces have formed. Here, Japan sails. Abe turns it to its new course, Due East. Back towards Darwin.

............the American fleet dodges the Japanese submarine Ambush, and heads east towards Kavieng But well to the west, confident now that no carriers can interfere with his plans, Abe initiates yet another attempt to hit darwin

From Kendari, in three seperate task groups, each built about battleships nagato, Hyunga and Fuso begin to raise steam. target, the growing cancers north of darwin. 3 heavy cruiser sail, planning to skirt well westwards, target, wessel island

And well to the south of soerabaya, at this moment unseen, but now perfectly happy to be seen, the japanes main bodies sail eastward

The british open the artillery barrage at Chiang mai They enjoy odds of nearly 4 to 1, 3 full divisions, 6 brigades, 2 regiments of armour. '

The Thai troops facing them will not stand. Japan high command feels that instinctively

But thats OK, its taken a month for the british to force the jungles to here. More than enough time to prepare a suitable back stop. Hosho will be remaining right where he is at Moulmien for a lot longer yet. 15th army will stand right where it is.

The first shovel ful, it seemed to Hosho, was always the hardest. After that, as the grave fills, it gets easier. But the first is always................ 'Farewell friend. I am sorry you did not die in battle, but you died with honour nevertheless" Hosho's shovel hesitates. Below it, the pale face of bando, comapnion, soldier, friend and fellow rascal, stares unseeingly at the sky.

Hunger, disease. death. For what?. This patch of jungle?, this muddy river bank?. For what?. No food, no supplies, no support?

15th army will stand its ground, the orders say.

"easy to do" thinks Hosho, as the first shovel full descends "when you become part of it"

Uto banks gently, hand easy on the stick, the other on the throttle. 1000 feet below him, Zuiho's wake has carved its white trail across the sea, clear, an arrow leading towards home

Uto shifts slightly in his seat. There are things that no book on fighter pilots tell you. How hard the seat is, how painful your back will ache after 4 hours in the air Gods, he needs a bathe, something to eat...............

Zuiho's arse places itself nicely into position, just under the corner of his screen, a little aelerion, a little rudder, controls slightly crossed, the fighter side slipping in .........zuiho is quartering the breeze, the fleet is powering on.

Horribly, inevitably, Uto's fighter plows off the edge of the flight deck, the world spins and the ocean surges into view.......... And stops, askew, engine in a 25 mm gun bay, and something , something caught up underneath, preventing the plunge into the sea rushing below

Silence

And now the shouting

And , of course, that universal, single word,

"TRUK!"

Uto hangs in the straps, and feels, instinctively, that things are really, really finely balanced

Another Truk.

he glances left. Lying on his belly (just where the hell does he put it?) Diogawa is looking at him "You OK? you great idiot!" "Just bloody embarressed..now stop gloating and get me the hell out of here!" "OK, don't get your knickers in a knot!" Diogawa disapears.

Uto hangs there, watching the world slide by. Something tells him he had better not undo his straps............ not yet, anyway It is a long time to think of what might have been, and what is.

He will hang there a long time, more mortified at his mistake than anything.

Takeji enters Zuiho's bridge at precisly 3 am. For a moment, he stands at its back, taking in the men about him. There is a good moon, and it takes little time for eyes to adjust to the gentle, subtle red lighting. At the helm, a young seaman, stiffening as his captain enters. Yet for his youth, his awarness of his captain, a man he can depend on, there has never been a need to repeat a helmsman order to that dimutive figure.

Behind him, the coxswain, old, grizzled. Also, utterly dependable. On the bridge wings, 2 to each, his look outs. They do not even notice his entrance, their gaze is where it should be...outward.

To the left, the OOW, to his left, the assistant. At the Chart table, the Navigator. And waiting, as ever, his communicator, pencil and pad at the ready. "Into the pit again ney men?" There are silent nods of agreement.

Yes, Zuiho today is going again into the lions den..

Around them, behind them, nearly 800 men are moving through zuiho. Doors are being dogged down, clamped and sealed. Her 4 boilers steam, and all Auxiliaries are running. Unseen from the bridge, but transferred in quiet messages, Takeji hears that his guns are manned, his arrows are pointing skyward.

And gently, the ting, ting of the elevator rings regularily. Zuiho is preparing for war again

Uto enters the bridge, hesitant, unsure. Takeji smiles. So Hidaka did keep his promise. Uto will not be flying today it seems.

About them, unseen, a great many other carriers too, repeat this work. But for now, they may as well be on another planet.

It begins

Almost on cue, it seems, the first SS attacks, Soryu the target. She is missed.

Takeji watches the attack on the far quarter, listens to the crumps, grits his teeth. Bukas!

Weather report.............. Of course..........."heavy overcast, scattered showers. " Since when with Zuiho going into action, has it not been "heavy overcast, scattered showers?"

But today, with Timor to the North, darwin, Darwin crawling with aircraft and bombers, , heavy overcast, scattered showers is just the ticket.........

"General quarters, hands to dawn action stations" Zuiho's men are already there. They have heard. They know.

They fill Zuiho, do our men. Quiet men. Noisy, exuberent men. Sour men, happy men. Brave men and cowards This dawn, they are all quiet. few seek others eyes. Easier to look out for the enemy planes, to look at the guages. Easier to think, than talk

Dawn

The great fleet about them solidifies. So strong, so proud. How many to see tomorrows dawn?

But then, maybe, just maybe, things might go the other way. The Americans can still die too ney?

Let the day, the days ahead come. Let us see what mars has for us this time.

They steam on. Zuiho launches her fighters, they join the growling crowd, her Jills sweep ahead. And then, of course, it rains.

I'm a little confused about CVL Ryujo's status. Post #1958 says she is abandoned and burning in Koepang and #1959 says she is the decoy force in the Arafura Sea. Could one of them be CVE Ryuho? I also suspect BB Hyuga would find 44 DDs a little unwieldy! Other than this nit-picking, your writing not only gives us the picture of what the ships and aircraft are doing, but more importantly what the men are doing. Great human interest in this AAR!

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

8/9/44 Takeji stands on his starboard bridge wing, staring at the setting sun

These hours , especially here in the tropics, are easily the most beautiful, and yet the most deadly As the sun sets, the horizon mists, the line between sea and sky blurs. Then, as the great red globe sinks, the world fades, becomes indistinct.

Darkness comes reluctantly, almost gently.

Beside him, Aoki stands as well. he has come far, already, has Aoki. Still a pain in the arse in many ways. Yet, and yet, Zuiho is beginning to seep into his viens. Zuiho, the little ship that can.......

'I think danger lurks all about us, and we had best be on our guard, yes?" Aoki takes the hint. he will tour Zuiho again, and check she is dark, and ready for whatever the night brings. The sea is calm, the moon half full. Yes, the danger lurks.........

Hirate looks about him, eyes alert, alighting on every guage, every dial. His ears hear every subtle sound in the roar of the engine room, every minor hiss of steam, every whine of every turbine. He smells the hot air, smells the baking heat, the stink of the bilges. He feels the vibrations beneath his feet. 164 revolutions, and all is good. 'You have the watch?" Hirate takes the logbook, and signs. 'I have the watch"

Casually he bends to the voice pipe. "hey Okano , did you catch that dinner or what, something special hey!?

From the Ajoining engineroom Okano's voice comes through loud and clear. "yes it was, last meal for the condemned you think? Oh lay off you party pooper, now I am doing 164, and my indicator says you are doing 162, hop to it friend!" The sound of a rasberry comes across, loud even here. "Yes Mien Fueher!"

Abe sweeps the horizon yet another time. All is place. The last glimmer of the sun is gone, the battle wagons mere shadows now. Only Yamato's director reflects dimly the last of the sun, towering so high above the rest of the fleet. Ahead, the sky is filling with clouds. Good. Foul weather ahead. Foul weather for foul deeds.

He bends to the voice pipe, hesitates.

This order will split his tightly grouped task forces into multiple splinters, fast, lethal splinters he hopes. But the destroyer screen for those that remain will be thin........... But that is the risk of war, no?

He utters the single word 10000 men await "execute"

Around him, the great shadows sterns boil with foam, and funnels belch black. And vanish into the night.

A life time ago, a young man on a bike called Bluey served the guns of a battery in the battle of Perth Over the years his tales have grown, and grown, until now, after a few beers at the Victoria arms one would be convinced that his gun had almost single handed defended the place. But that was a lifetime ago.

Now Bluey, a older, wiser , but more cunning man is part of the Darwin battery. It is, has been, a damn good way to fight a war.

Over the last twelve months, nary a sight of the Japanese, and life has been a steady routine of report for duty, the vic, and mavis. In the last two months, especially now with the war moving north at last, it had seemed to be a lot more the vic, and mavis, than the guns.

Not that the war had totally slipped from ones conciousness of course, what with the bombers ceasless operations from the field, headed north, the harbour with its crippled and damaged ships, and of course the constant growl of circling fighters overhead. But moving north it was, of that there could be no doubt.

Bluey picks up the phone, and waits for the answer 'Number 4 battery reporting in sir, requesting to stand down" "Approved"

Bluey cups his hands, shouts down to the gang, "secure boys, another day of valor done!' He climbs out of the concrete bunker, lets the cool night air wash over him. On the horizon, the nightly flash and rumble of the tropical storms sweeping across the bay, ......................

He has heard that noise before............. the blood in his viens freezes. that is no bloody thunder!

"CHRIST!", thats guns!"

faintly, overhead, the great screams as frieght trains race overhead, and behind them, the sky flashes with light, and thunder Darwin field.

Number 4 battery will not fire a shell tonight. her first shell will freeze in the lift midway between magazine and breech, victim of tropical rain, rust, and far too many short cutted drills............ Nor will a great many of the batteries.

Battleships Kongo and Kirishima will sail almost lazily into darwin port waters, there escorts sinking 3 tankers and the lone destroyer that foolishly tries to raise steam, and literally raze darwin airfield to the ground Battleship Hiei will also add her share this night, pounding the wrecks and the field even further.

Some 160 aircraft are damaged this day, 60 of them shining new T bolts, 40 off them liberators. 36 aircraft off all types are destroyed.

Faintly, faintly, Bb Hyuga's guns can be heard in the still air. The horizon too, faintly flashes, like a light house gone slightly mad. Saumalaki is being closed now as well.............

Takeji raises his glasses again, focusses on the horizon, and is staring straight at CVE Shinyo when the fish strikes her. No time to swear, to curse the gods.........

'Ahead full!, Port 30!, guns action starboard!" The alarm bells ring, uselessly of course, for she is already at action stations, and Zuiho begins to tremble and heel below him. Shinyo is swinging alarmingly, the hit has been far aft......takeji does not need to be told she is out of control...

Starboard 30!" the wind is beginning to whip past now as Zuiho gains speed, Shinyo passing down her flank. Behind him guns bark, starshell lighting the dark..........but making what is not lit even darker.

Two torpedoes strike Hiyo.

And raw fear dumps itself into Takeji Ambush!..........the bukas!

With swift steps he leaps to the voice pipes, connects himself with Zuiho's living heart 'Give me everything you have got!"

There is no need for the urgency, the telegraphs are ringing...........full ahead............but the hammering underwater blows transmitted through the ocean from Hiyos hull, monstorous clangs, giants hammering at Zuihos hull is warning enough.

Hirate and Okano grasp their throttles and begin to wind Zuiho to her maximum...........

It is a delicate balancing act this gentlemen.especially in the age before automatic controls. You open the throttles maw, and it sucks the steam in, dragging it from the boilers in stupendous quantities. Steam that must be replaced with water. Open too quickly, you can kill the boilers pressure, or worse, drop its level past what the feed pumps can provide

When it happens, it can be a sphincter sucking moment.

In the boiler rooms, the steamers are frantically winding the blower throttles to full, they will react quickly, the whine again rising towards the shriek, the fuel pumps are brought to full The water tenders race to the feed pumps, and they race to full speed as well

In the ready room, Diogawa meets Ogawa's eye............'Its moments like these one feels like a fifth wheel" Ogawa shrugs........just deal the cards..........I only need another million or so yen to buy myself out of this damn war......."

Minobe leaps from his seat, stands, Ashen face.......... Damage Control central is so far from the upper deck, the upper decks and the air. Lurch turns from his seat, and his gaze fixes his engineer in place. hate, contempt...........fear, a million emotions pass in that instant between the two men

Minobe halts.............and returns to his seat

Ahead of them, through the impersonal steel, the fans are rising to a shriek.